


Rejecting Time

by orphan_account



Category: Sengoku Basara
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, many tags from Time Travel is Real apply here, rewrite of Time Travel is Real, so yeah Time Travel is Real is discontinued, well it's not quite the same as that one but born of the same plotbunny
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-14
Packaged: 2018-09-27 22:03:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10053407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Sakon never liked thinking of what would happen to Mitsunari-sama if his Lords died. He got one thing right, sure, whenever he really not-thought-about-it: Mitsunari-sama would reject such a reality.Only... this was some impressive rejecting. However, while of course Mitsunari-sama would cut through time itself for Lord Hideyoshi, the question was: who made it possible? And what did they want with Mitsunari-sama? (And which one?)And whatever Ieyasu did to Mitsunari-sama in the future, Sakon was already having trouble trying not to hate the current one coz of it. Man, things were (will be?) sure complicated as hell.





	1. Prologue

**Prologue**

It certainly wasn't everyday that a lake suddenly appeared before one's eyes, and that even on its own, without anybody punching it out of the waters deep below the ground. Like he imagined Hideyoshi Toyotomi might be able to, if he had any need to.

Still, it appeared, anyway. Seriously. Right underneath the tree which branch he was sitting on, lazily playing with his diece. Okay, ok, almost underneath.

And anyway... drat, his die fell in there! And it's not that Sakon couldn't swim, but he wasn't in any mood to do it right now. And he usually went with what he was in mood for, especially on days like this, sunny and with light breeze, making his own Breeze even more playful. Unless fate forced him otherwise.

And then the lake vanished, just as suddenly as it had appeared. What now? And the guy who was now standing on the ground in the middle of the former lake had to be a ninja or something, coz even all the winds were surprised at his existence.

Also completely naked, silverhaired like Mitsunari-sama, and cluthing Sakon's dice in his hand like a lifeline. And Lord Mitsunari's sword in the other, in his left hand, that is... no, that just wasn't possible...

Shima's first thought was that perhaps he was now meeting Mitsuanari's elder brother (who for some reason stole Lord Mitsunari's sword? What? As if Mitsunari's sword could be taken without taking at least Mitsunari-sama's arm with it), but that was even more nonsensical that his second thought.

That is...

"Mitsunari-sama?"

He looked older, truly, at least by ten years. But Sakon could feel it anyway, no matter how stupid it seemed: this was Mitsunari-sama. Somehow. And hey, apparently Mitsunari-sama looks really good with long hair, Sakon managed to consider, more than a bit dumbfounded, before his Lord (most likely?) spoke.

"I... don't know which one is yours, so have both."

And he threw the dice at Sakon, who caught it on instinct, while still staring.

"Mitsunari.... sama? This is you, ain't it? What ha--" but he had to trail off, because the apparently older Mitsunari whispered something, over and over, voice too low to hear to human ears. Thankfully Sakon's Breeze immediately recognised it as some strange litany of Sakon's name and... a disbelief, wonderment and... an apology...? This was getting weirder and weirder, so Sakon was now seriously beginning to think this had to be some strange dream.

But then, the man who was apparently Mitsunari-sama, somehow, found more strength to speak.

"Sakon. Sakon. You are Sakon, aren't you? It's been... so long... I'm sorry... I'm truly sorry I killed you. I will offer my life as a penance, but not today. Only after I take... my Lords... from this wretched time. Ah... tell me, are they still alive? If not, it's alright, it's alright, I'll just travel again. Before _Ieyasu_ kills them again. That man said I could not, more than once, but that man is a liar. Sakon... You must be Sakon. You do look just like in my memories. I was beginning to think... I had made you up, and my Lords, too, in my memories, but you-- are here. Here in the past."

Sakon kept trying to grab Lord Mitsunari and steady him, since it seemed as if the man would collapse from exhaustion, but it was as if Mitsunari was afraid to touch him. Mitsunari-sama kept backing away slowly.

It wasn't any kind of disgust, either, nor was Mitsunari-sama offended. Sakon knew him well enough to see that. No, it was if Sakon was made of freaking snow or glass in Lord Mitsunari's so much older eyes, suddenly, and that was the weirdest of all.

"Are they alive? Is it the time they're still alive? Is it? Is it?"

Sakon could only nod. Maybe Mitsunari-sama learnt something more about Lord Hanbei's illness?? Sakon didn't think it was killing Hanbei, but... that had to be it... right?

"Well, as fot the time, it's noon, yeah? And for our Lords. Well? Hanbei was a bit sick yesterday, but he's fine today, Mitsuna--"

Apparently that information was all Mitsunari-sama needed to let go of some tentative grasp of whatever remained of his consciousness or whatever else Mitsunari-sama was using - probably just his sheer amazing willpower - to keep himself on his feet when it seemed barely possible. And so, Sakon barely had time to catch the man when he collapsed.

And only then did Lord Mitsunari's words really reach him. And made him even more concerned. Well, not the fact Mitsunari-sama said something about killing him, that wouldn't be too unusual - aside from the fact that this strange Mitsunari-sama seemed to believe that he had already killed Sakon.

No - rather, the fact that Mitsunari-sama now apparently believed that anyone, least of all Ieyasu Tokugawa, would be able to kill Hideyoshi Toyotomi. And that during all this, while he muttered Sakon's name at least hundred times, he hasn't spoken Hideyoshi Toyotomi's name even once. Nor Hanbei Takenaka's, for that matter.

And then he heard Mitsunari-sama calling him from afar.

Something was seriously screwed up. Not that - if Toyotomi really was going to get killed, by Ieyasu at that... not that Sakon would put it past Mitsunari-sama's awesome devotion powers to somehow multiply and/or age himself or jump through time or whatever the man was implying in his disjointed speech in order to prevent that from happening.

Now he really wanted to go to his Mitsunari-sama and tell him about all this, but now...

"Huh... How'd ya do it without getting this... other Mitsunari-sama? Killed in his sleep. Geez..."


	2. Interlude: So now, you're your brother, 'kay? // Forecast

The first thing he's noticed upon stirring awake was a distinct lack of Ieyasu's scent. Or even of Ieyasu's aura. And that was strange, because that shogun's aura, he could feel even from twenty miles away if he didn't want to, and from sixty miles away if he did want to... and so... what was this strange aura? Here? A seemingly familiar breeze, though he could swear it wasn't Fuuma's, or any other familiar ninja's... nor even Keiji's...?

_So... a stranger? But too familiar for it to be a stranger...? This is a trap. I dreamt I was in the past, and met Sakon, but if I was in the past, I'd have run to save my Lord before it rained, and so... that dream wasn't real at all...._

He stood up, possibly a bit too quickly, considering the sudden diziness. Wait, there was another aura, very close by. It felt a bit like Ieyasu's, but it couldn't be, it was too small, too weak. Unless he travelled so far in the past that Ieyasu was a baby here and now, this couldn't possibly be Ieyasu now-- or even Ieyasu anywhere near the time of the Lord's death. A candlelight couldn't possibly extinguish that Light, the Light of the thousand Suns.

And even if he misremembered how strong his Lord's Light had been, if he erred on that his memories... then it would be error on the other side: surely, Lord... Lord Hideyoshi ( _if I'm truly in the past, do I have the right to utter the sacred name again? Do... even I...?)..._ Lord's Light had to be much stronger than Mitsunari remembered.

There was some painful emptiness inside, and with a start, Mitsunari's realised that it's true that only one entity can cross the same lake of Time: his Shadow didn't follow him here.

But he calmed down in a few seconds, realising that Shadow would come here, later. Somehow he would. Surely. And if not, he could just take his past self's one, that man didn't deserve him, or rather, deserved him even less.

"You're awake. That's great."

That voice... it sounded like Ieyasu's. Only... the cheerfulness was a bit less fake. Strange.

"What's your name? Sakon said you're Mitsunari's older brother, but I'm afraid I didn't catch your name. Oh, and maybe lay down, you look---"

He's realised that he slapped this man who sounded.. oh, and looked, he was now slowly realising... a bit like Ieyasu... only two seconds after doing so.

Oh. So this was Ieyasu. Otherwise his soul wouldn't have recognised him before his mind did.

"Sorry."

Young Ieyasu's eyes widened at the apology.

"It's... fine. I assume... you've had a nightmare?"

Mitsunari shook his head. This Ieyasu... was maybe still redeemable. So there would be no lies.

"I know who you are. I know things you'd do to me."

No lies.

Young Ieyasu frowned.

"You mean... Mitsunari told you something about me that... made you hit me on sight? That's... alright, I guess."

A rueful smile, but... so much more innocent. How? Did he travel to the time when there wasn't a treacherous thought in the traitor's mind? He'd be glad to believe that, but...

Unfortunately, his thoughts were interrupted by something... wonderful.

He sat up, feeling that he was close to fainting ( _just like Ieyasu implied... I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of sitting down, but... this is much more important than Ieyasu.)_

_A familiar aura. A Shadow - a  Darkness. ... not mine, but that I knew nearly as well..._

_A dying Shadow, which I could feel even then, but vehemently denied, instead of taking some action, any action.. though... what could I have done??_

"Ah, Masazumi-kun. You're finally awake, I see."

_Masazumi? But Sakon recognised me... ah, he probably thinks I'd kill myself. The past myself. Or the other way around. And... yes, there can't be more than one of one person, Matsunaga said. Or time will reject such person. So maybe, if I pretend to be my brother, I won't be rejected by time before I can save them._

"Masazumi-kun, you seem to be a bit younger than I thought."

_Pretend? Before Lord Hanbei? As if that could be done!_

_And besides, there's no reason to get my brother rejected from time, whatever that means.  
_

"I... I'm not Masazumi, and not Mitsunari, Hanbei-sama. I'm... from the future. This... sounds nonsensical, I know, truly. And if me being from the future offends you, my Lord, please kill me, but... only if you don't die of your illness this year. If that doesn't happen, I'll gladly offer my life as soon as..."

Oh. He was getting dizzy again. And now Lord Hanbei was looking at him strangely. Surely, mentioning the illness was a grave crime, he knew, but he had to prove he was truly from the future somehow.

"Well then, _not_ Mitsunari-kun, who are you?"

And now the breeze... and somebody yelled...

"Oh, geez! Okay, okay, this isn't Masazumi, I lied! But I just wasn't sure how Mitsunari-sama would react, that's why I still haven't told him about that guy, and please, Hanbei, don't tell him, either! Hanbei-sama, I mean."

Mitsunari was quite sure that last bit of correction was because if looks could, Sakon would've died twice now from Mitsunari's gaze. Sakon was even more disrespectful than Mitsunari remembered truly. But he made up for it in loyalty, so that was fine. Which was why Mitsunari still regretted killing him in the past, so... maybe now, he could save even him?

_From myself? Then it's best if I just never talk to him again._


	3. Chapter 1: The First Journey

**Chapter 1**

**The Beginning of the First Journey**

He was wasting time. If what Matsunaga Hisahide said was true, he could stop existing any second now. That was how journeying through the time worked, as far as he knew. Because this was, after all, the second time he travelled through time. Because the first time, he only thought of protecting his Lord at the earliest possible opportunity and of nothing else: and that was a mistake, as his Lord, his Lord Hideyoshi, didn't need any protection that far in the past, that was presumptous of him, he travelled back too far... far enough that his Lords hadn't even met yet! So he sinned in his presumption.

Still, it had been wonderful to see his Lord, to see his Lord in his youth, even though it was very, very confusing as well and there were things he couldn't comprehend. Couldn't comprehend what was his Lord doing back then, couldn't comprehend his plans and behaviours at all.

And he didn't dare ask.

Though the hardest thing was to stop calling Lord Hideyoshi "Lord" back then, but he had done so, no matter how wrong it felt, because that was an order. And he swore he'd never fail Lord Hideyoshi again.

Here, now, Lord Hideyoshi hasn't visited him yet. And again, he wouldn't dare question why. If Lord Hanbei hasn't informed the Lord of Mitsunari's presence yet, then that's how it should be. However, did Hanbei-sama know how journeying through time affected people... or not...

All these thoughts fleeted quickly through Mitsunari's head now, right now in this time, now that Lord Hanbei did him this unspeakable honour of visiting him again after three days. (Three days during which Sakon often visited, and told him that they haven't told anything Mitsunari's past self. But as to whether Hideyoshi now knew of Mitsunari's presence or not, Sakon had no idea.)

"Masazumi-kun. I know you've said you killed Sakon, but that's not the reason you're here, is it?"

Mitsunari shook his head. He didn't speak in Lord Hanbei's presence unless he had to, he was unworthy to do so, after all. After everything...

"That's what I thought. In other words, in the future, something would happen to Hideyoshi. That's the only reason you'd make this impossible travel. At least I'd hope so. Because if you want to prevent _my_ death, which we can certainly talk about without violating any 'rules', as it's obvious... you'd only be wasting time. And I'd hope you wouldn't do such a thing."

Emotion won over respect, over feeling unworthy, over everything, because while Hanbei-sama knew everything, certainly, he only knew everything of _this_ time, here, now, and didn't know, didn't even hope for-- the future--- so far away that it was unimaginable to Mitsunari himself as well, but it did exist, he _saw_ it---

"Hanbei-sama, in the future, there _is_ medicine, so it's enough if I just send you there--- together with our Lord, before Ieyasu kills him---!!"

He bowed lower, ashamed of his outburst. He should have explained everything thoroughly first- but what if Hanbei-sama died before he finished explaining?! So, he had to do it soon, didn't he? Because Hanbei-sama could now die at any moment. So he had to send him, even before both Lords permitted it, if necessary. Maybe even now-- or would that be doing something too soon again? Like when he travelled too far back, to calm days, when he wasn't yet needed?

Oh, but... maybe he hadn't travelled to far back, back then. Back then, he could have just killed Ieyasu, even if Ieyasu had only been three years old or so, back then... but he didn't even think of it. Too happy to bask in his Lord's presence to even think of Ieyasu, for all that month.

\-----------------------------------------

"Hideyoshi, I know we had plans for today, but there's something you should see first!"

"What is it, Keiji?"

"There's an almost dead guy - well, he almost drowned in my room, and don't ask me to explain _that -_ who keeps muttering your name in his sleep. So come on, tell me who's that guy!"

The voices were hazy, but they were real. And it wasn't Matsunaga, or Fuuma (that man never spoke, anyway), and it wasn't... ah... one of the voices sounded painfully familiar, but who...?

And he lost consciousness again, for a minute of so--

"...he suddenly appeared in your room, naked."

"I know you don't believe me, but it's true!"

He had no idea whom the second voice belonged to. But the first one - could it be...?!

"Lord...Hideyoshi..."

"See? I told you he was muttering something about you, and about some lords, every time he almost came to!"

"And I told you I don't know him."

Lord Hideyoshi didn't even know him yet? Then, he had so much time to change the past, so much time!

"Look, you must have met him or something! Now you've made him cry, Hideyoshi, and the guy's almost fainting again, so that can't be fake!"

"Keiji, I really never met this man."

Strange. Hideyoshi-sama sounded confused, but that was impossible. So he had to be pretending to be confused, for some reason. Mitsunari knew well that his Lord could never truly feel something as inferior as confusion.

He knew. Certainly. And why was he sprang to his feet at once, at hearing his Lord's voice - and he was clothed? - oh, that 'Keiji' person had to have given him some clothes, in this case, because it was impossible to go through time in any - and then knelt before his Lord. His Lord who looked younger - which was wonderful, because that meant there was time! More than enough time!

"Lord Hideyoshi. You haven't met me yet, but I beg you, believe me, my life belongs to the Toyotomi."

His Lord looked at him, then at 'Keiji' (hmm, that Keiji looked slightly familiar, but Mitsunari wasn't sure if they ever met, if they did, 'Keiji' must not have been important to the Toyotomi), and then laughed a little.

"That's an interesting prank. But he looks really tired, so you should probably tell him to stop kneeling like that, Keiji."

Ah. So he was to serve under this Keiji now. It hurt, knowing that he couldn't serve Hideyoshi-sama directly, but... he didn't deserve to serve Hideyoshi-sama, anyway. Not after all that he had done.

"What? No, that's not - and anyway, what did you do to this guy?? He can't even look at you without crying, see??"

Lord Hideyoshi then crouched down at touched touched Mitsunari's cheek. Touched him! After everything--- he never expected such mercy--

"Mhm, he _is_ crying. That's not part of whatever prank you two thought of?"

"Hideyoshi, I think he's hyperventilating! And Aunt Matsu's sure to think this is my fault!"

Lord Hideyoshi seemed to truly look at him for the first time, and then at 'Keiji' person, before asking, with some emotion that sounded a little like bewilderment, and Mitsunari had no idea what this emotion could truly be, "You really don't know this man, Keiji?"

"I really don't! But look at him, if I didn't know you don't kill puppies, I'd think you killed his. So have you really never met him?"

The Lord shook his head.

Mitsunari smiled, for the first time in so many years... because there was so much time to save Lord Hideyoshi, so much time! So much time that even he could do it. Crying... was he crying? He must be, since his Lord said so. Strange, that he couldn't even feel it.


End file.
